Ash tray with spinning closure



Nov. 17, 1953 H. MORIN 2,659,513

ASH TRAY WITH SPINNING CLOSURE 38 INVENTOR. LOUIS H. MORIN ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1 953 ASH TRAY WITH SPINNING CLOSURE Louis H. Morin, New York, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Murray Drexler, New

York, N. Y.

Application October 1, 1951, Serial No. 249,149

3 Claims. I

' This invention relates to ash trays of the type having an open bottom bowl shaped member with a closure disc for the opening which maybe simultaneously moved away from the opemn and given a spinning movement.

Ash trays of the type described have been proposed wherein the spinning movement is attained through the use of a miniature clutch which includes loose friction elements or ball bearings. Such devices require special assembly operations and have a tendency to be erratic in operation over a period of time.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved device of the character described, which includes 'a simple, non-movable coupling element which is operative to impart spinning movement to the closure disc of the ash tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide coupling means for a pair of coaxial members in the form of a coiled spring which engages one of the members and is adapted to first engage and then disengage the other of the members.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, manually operated means for imparting combined axial and rotary movement to a closure disc, wherein said disc is free to continue rotation after movement of the manually operated means has ceased.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, coupling means which is silent in operation, instantaneous in effect, has a minimum number of parts, develops a minimum amount of wear and requires no lubrication.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of the combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention is indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing;

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the operating means of the device embodying the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 designates an ash tray assembly embodying the invention. The same comprises a part bowl shaped member ll having a circular opening l2 at the bottom thereof. A circular closure disc I3 of convexo-concavo cross section and including a central opening I 4, is arranged to close the opening l2 in member H and is further adapted to be moved to expose the opening I2 while being given a spinning or rotary motion.

To this end thereis provided a bracket I5 on a mid portion of which is mounted an upstanding tubular member I6 having an end wall 11 formed with a rectangular opening I3 therein. A stem I9 is mounted in the member I6 and is formed with a spiral portion 20 which extends through opening 18 and having the relation of a nut and screw. A knob 2| is formed with a bore 22 and threaded counterbore 23 and a radial flange 24 between the bores. The upper portion of stem I9 is positioned in bore 22 of the knob with the head 25 of the stem positioned in the counterbore 23. A threaded cap 26 screwed into counterbore 23 limits axial movement of the stem relative to the knob, while being rotatable relative thereto. A spiral spring 21 is mounted on the upper portion of stem IS, with its upper end engaging the fiange 24 and its lower end engaging the end wall [1. The spring 21 raises the stem l9 to an elevated position relative to member 16 which is receivable in bore 22 of the knob 2|.

The stem l9 includes a reduced lower end portion 28 to which is fixed a cylindrical member 29. Member '29 is formed with an annular recess '30 on its upper surface, for the purpose hereinafter described. The stem I9 further includes an enlarged bearing portion 3| immediately above portion 28. On the portion 3| is loosely mounted a cylindrical member 32 of limited axial extent and of substantially the same diameter as member 29. The member 32 is formed with an axially extending annular lip 33 on its upper face which passes through opening H in disc l3 and is spun over to fix the disc to member 32. A further enlarged collar portion 3 la of stem l 9 above portion 31 limits axial movement of the member 32.

Means is provided for coupling the members 29, 32 together. To this end there is provided a coiled member 34 such as a spiral spring which engages the circumferential portions of the members. The lower portion of spring 34 tightly engages member 29 while the upper portion of the spring frictionally engages member 32 to a somewhat lesser extent. A cup shaped member 35 encloses the members 29, 32 and spring 34 and is riveted to the end of stem 19.

The opposite ends of bracket I are fixed to rim portions of member II by screws 36 to provide an assembly which may be removably attached to an ash receiver body 31 through bayonet connections 38 on the peripheral portions of the body and assembly.

In operating the device, the knob 2I is depressed against the action of spring 21, thereby causing the stem I9 to rotate through the screw action of spiral portion 20 relative to the sides of opening I8. This results in a movement of closure disc I3 away from opening I2 in member II. At the same time, the member 29 is rotated, which has the effect of tightening the coils of spring 34, thereby causing member '32 and the disc I3 fixed thereto, to rotate. When the stem I9 has been depressed to its lower limit as determined by the stop action of flange 24 engaging the upper end of member IS, member 29 will cease to rotate but member 32 will continue to rotate, due to a slight unwinding of spring 3-1. Accordingly, disc I3 is adapted to spin freely under its own momentum. When the knob 2I 'is released, spring 21 will raise stem I9 to its normal, elevated position, the spiral portion 20 causing reverse rotation of the stem as the same is elevated.

It will be apparent that a simple clutching arrangement of the annular members 29, 32 has been provided, which gives a silent and quickly responsive ratchet efiect. Such arrangement exhibits substantially no Wear and requires .no lubrication.

The closure disc I3 is adapted to seat against the edge of opening I2 in member II to provide a continuous smoke seal, through the action of spring 21. With the shallow member 32 loosely rotating about stem portion 31, disc I3 may be free to wobble during rotation and to seat properly against the edge of opening I2 in member II, even though member I6 or stem I9 fail to have proper alignment. The annular recess 30 on member 29 reduces the surface areas of members 29, 32, which are in actual bearing contact, thus reducing friction. It is understood that spring 34 is wound in the proper direction, in accordance with the direction of the spiral portion 20 of stem I9, to insure proper tightening and loosening action of the spring when stem I9 is rotated.

.It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well'adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter Iherein .set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

" Having thus described my invention, I desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. In an-ash tray comprising an open bottom bowl shaped member and a closure therefor, means for moving the closure member downwardly away from the opening in said bowl member and simultaneously rotating said closure member comprising a member fixedly mounted across ,the top of said bowl shaped member andformed I with a rectangular opening locatedcentrally and above the opening in said bowl shaped member, a stem having a spiral portion passingthrough and operatively engaging the sides of said open ing, a knob on the top end of said stem, a cylindrical member mounted on the other end of said stem a bearing member of limited axial extent on said stem, a second cylindrical member freely mounted on said bearing member for rotation relative thereto, said closure member being mounted on said second cylindrical member, and a coiled member coaxially related to said annular members and frictionally engaging the circumferential portions of said cylindrical members whereby rotation of said first mentioned cylindrical member through operation of said stem, will cause rotation of said second cylindrical member.

2. In an ash tray as in claim 1, wherein said coiled member includes an axial portion frictionally engaging a circumferential portion of the firstmentioned cylindrical member and a second axial portion adapted to frictionally engage a circumferential portion of said second cylindrical member when said first cylindrical member is rotated.

3. In an ash tray comprising a bowl and a closure for the opening in the bottom of said bowl, means for moving the closure downwardly away from the bowl opening and simultaneously imparting spinning movement to the closure .comprising a bracket on the bowl above said closure. an upstanding tubular member open at the upper end thereof mounted centrally of said bracket, said member having an end wall at the lower end thereof formed with a rectangular opening, an elongated stem mounted in said tubular member and including a spiral portion passing through and engaging the sides of said end wall opening and arranged for combined axial and rotary movement, the upper end of said stem projecting above the open end of said tubular member, a knob on the upper end of said stem and means depending from said knob and concealing the upper portion of said tubular member, spring means within said tubular member and said depending means for returning said stem to an elevated positionafter said knob has been depressed, means coupling said closure to said stem comprising a pair of coaxial cylindrical members, a bearing member of limited axial extent on said stem, one of said coaxial members being fixed onsaidstem below said bearing member, the other of said coaxial members rotating on said bearing member and being secured to said closure, .a-coil spring having successive axial portions respectively frictionally engaging circumferential portions of said coaxial members for imparting spinning movement to said closure upon rotation of said stem.

LOUIS H. MORIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 677,872 Locke July 9, 1901 850,981 Tillotson Apr. 23, 1907 1,080,837 Leidel Dec. 9, 1913 2,213,915 Katz Sept. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country .Date 1 112,158 Germany Aug. 13, 1900 293,169 Great Britain .July 5, 1928 597,776 Great Britain ,Feb. 3,1948 

